Publications
Publications
- October 2023 (Revised October 2025)
- HBS Case Collection
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt: A Curriculum Provider Puts Itself on the Hook for Student Outcomes
By: John J-H Kim, Derek C. M. van Bever, Michael Norris and Max Hancock
Abstract
Jack Lynch, CEO of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) since 2017, was leading the company’s transformation from a legacy textbook publisher to a digital-first student outcomes provider, which earned subscription revenue from digital products and curriculum. In 2023, HMH acquired NWEA, a leading educational assessment company. Lynch was thrilled to add NWEA’s industry-standard tools for measuring student progress to his company’s product offering – but aware of the fact that HMH’s new business strategy was untested. Would students, educators, and district administrators sign on to Lynch’s vision for the future of U.S. education?
Keywords
Edtech; Textbook; Publishing; Leading Change; Change Management; Transformation; Digital Transformation; Expansion; Business Strategy; Publishing Industry; Education Industry; United States
Citation
Kim, John J-H, Derek C. M. van Bever, Michael Norris, and Max Hancock. "Houghton Mifflin Harcourt: A Curriculum Provider Puts Itself on the Hook for Student Outcomes." Harvard Business School Case 324-011, October 2023. (Revised October 2025.)